Happy Christmas!

A big thank you,  Happy Christmas and healthy New Year to  everyone who still continues to look at this blog,   despite my lack of input....

Cadiar's Christmas tree this year has had a lot of input from the local community,  the tree has been decorated with crocheted designs  and there are also decorations made by the children.

Also there is belén which is a nativity scene.

Afternoon walks

Glorious weather this autumn,   so nice to still be enjoying afternoon walks in the sunshine and not needing to wrap up warm yet.  Chilly overnight,  maybe 8 degrees or so,  but out in the sun in a t-shirt  during the day.

Just past the cemetery at Yegen,  there is a new seating area... 

The view from here looking towards Sierra Gador....Not a cloud in the sky!

Poplars down in the valley....

Nearer home is an old era,  a threshing circle, catching the afternoon sun on the stones.

And on the edge of the era is an old piece of machinery. Not sure what it is but possibly an almond husker.  It's got a drum where I can imagine the almonds being put in and as it spins the husks come off,  but maybe something to do with olives....  suggestions anyone??

Another afternoon, another walk,  this time down to the river below Golco.  Both walks are about 2km / 4km return,   but whereas Yegen is 300m or so higher than us, with a nice gentle return trip,   the walk to the river is mostly down but then a climb back home.

A birthday break in Almeria.

We have just spent a couple of days in Almería for my birthday.  It's not a place that we have stayed in before,  it's just somewhere that we've been through and have thought  that it would be good to explore as it has a rich history.  The best description I can give is that it's like a small version of Granada,  what with the Cathedral and the Alcazaba,  and the old quarter too.

So this is going to be mostly pictures......

Hotel Catedral,  Plaza de la Catedral,  where we stayed.

Palacio Episcopál, Plaza de la Catedral

The very fortress-like Cathedral as seen from the hotel roof terrace.

La Alcazaba as seen from our hotel roof terrace.

Bar Montenegro,  almost next to our hotel

and another one!

Not our Montenegro but a hill/mountain in Almeria higher than us.  We are at 890 metres,  the other Montenegro is 1710 metres up.  Quite a climb!!

Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Mar

Iglesia de San Pedro

The School of Art

The Theatre

La Hacienda - tax office.

Shops downstairs, carved windows and arches above.....

both buildings at Puerta de Purchena.

And then inside the Cathedral.  Obviously these few pictures don't do justice to the inside - there are carvings both wood and marble,  it's gilded,  there are wonderful paintings too,  this is just a small sample.

And for the foodies......

Lunch at La Lupe.  Quesadillo + chilli @ 3 euros each. Plus a beer each.

La Lupe again for dinner, 1 x house salad with grilled chicken and jalapeños @9.50

Secreto a la brasa - very tender beef done on the griddle 2 @ 14 euros.

 

 

Another day,  more food!    At Casco Antiguo for lunch,  a Thai salad 1/2 size starter.

Timbale of monkfish and prawns for my main course.

Restaurant Casco Antiguo house burger.  And did he struggle with this!

Of course there was more food and also a drink or two - but sometimes food comes before photos!!

A wonderful couple of days but now back to a normal healthy diet - less food and more exercise!

Autumn update

Doesn't time fly!   Now we are into autumn colours,  the leaves are turning into different shades of yellow and gold and rusty brown shades.  But most days the weather is still warm and although I haven't swum since the end of September it's still warm enough for visitors to enjoy.

Our family from Paris has been visiting recently,  with the addition of a 3 month old now,  on their first day here,  we went to La Videña restaurant in Ugijar where a drink with a tapa is 2 euros,  it makes a nice leisurely lunch and not too filling.

fajitas mexicano y tomate aliñado

Bacon con queso y Sherigan de pate

Samuel is enjoying looking around - Elliott is keeping an eye on him.

And so on to Cadiar for the Feria,  we only went in on the Friday for Elliott to enjoy the ball park and the bouncy castle while we had wine at the fuente and pinchos at the food stalls.

A few days later we went down to Salobeña for a day on the beach plus lunch and dinner and an overnight stay at the Hotel Avenida Tropical,  where we have been quite a few times and never been disappointed.  This time we  had a lovely courtyard outside our room,  ideal late in the evening for a glass of wine.

First to the beach...

Busy isn't it!!  Apparently the water was warm enough, Mat and Elliott were both in splashing around.

Then for lunch at Chiringuito Casa Emilio - again somewhere we have eaten more than a few times over the past 13 years and always enjoyed.

Obvious no?  the view from our table to the sea.

My house salad starter

John's seafood soup

House white wine

Mat and Airi's paella

John's rape (monkfish) grilled

My rape en salsa (sauce of tomato and almonds)

Much later that day we all stopped for drinks and tapas before going out for dinner. 

John's G+T plus my wine

Our tapas

And then last of all we went for dinner.  But by then I'd forgotten to take pictures except of the amazing plate of food of mine.  Spicy prawns.  Sounds so simple but just look at the carrot and cucumber decoration.  Fresh prawns, crunchy veg,  nothing orange and artificial tasting about the sauce - wonderful.   As was everyone else's food but I was too busy enjoying mine for photos.